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Pyrrhus |
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Pyrrhus, Molossian king of EpirusPyrrhus (pĭr`əs), c.318–272 B.C., Molossian king of Epirus. He fought at Ipsus in Asia Minor in the service of Demetrius Poliorcetes (later Demetrius I Demetrius I (Demetrius Poliorcetes) (dĭmē`trēəs pŏl'ēôrsē`tēz), c.337–283 B.C...... Click the link for more information. ) of Macedon, and by the aid of Ptolemy I he became (297 B.C.) joint king of Epirus with Neoptolemus. He removed (295) Neoptolemus from the throne, but before his kingdom was consolidated he went to war with Demetrius (291–286); Pyrrhus obtained half of Macedonia and Thessaly but was driven back (c.286) by Lysimachus Lysimachus (līsĭm`əkəs), c.355–281 B.C., Thessalian general of Alexander the Great. ..... Click the link for more information. . He then went to S Italy with a large force to aid the Tarentines and defeated (280) the Romans at Heraclea. In the same year Pyrrhus' peace proposals were rejected by the Romans. In 279 he again defeated the Romans at Asculum in Apulia. His heavy losses caused him to declare, "one more such victory and I am lost," thus the origin of the term "Pyrrhic victory." At Beneventum (now Benevento) he was barely defeated (275) by the Romans. He again attempted to conquer Macedonia, defeating (273) Antigonus II. Turning his attention suddenly to the Peloponnesus, he failed to take Sparta by siege. He then fled to Argos, where he was killed by a mob in the street. He accomplished nothing beyond bringing Epirus to ruin. Pyrrhus, in Greek legendPyrrhus, in Greek legend: see Neoptolemus Neoptolemus (nē'ŏptŏl`ĭməs), in Greek legend, son of Achilles. In the Trojan War he proved himself brave but cruel...... Click the link for more information. . Pyrrhus(born 319—died 272 BC, Argos, Argolis) King of Hellenistic Epirus. After being allied to Demetrius and taken hostage, he was befriended by Ptolemy I Soter and restored to his kingdom. In 281 he was asked for help against Rome by the Greek enclave of Tarentum (Taranto) and won costly victories at Heraclea and Ausculum. Crossing to Sicily, he conquered most of the Punic territory, but the Greek Sicilians revolted against his despotism. He suffered serious losses on his return to Italy (275) but defeated Antigonus II Gonatas in Macedonia (274) and became king there. He died in a skirmish in Argos trying to help Sparta. His costly victories gave rise to the term “Pyrrhic victory.” Pyrrhus 319--272 bc, king of Epirus (306--272). He invaded Italy but was ultimately defeated by the Romans (275 bc) How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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King Pyrrhus was at dinner at an ale-house bordering on the theatre, when he was summoned to go on the stage. When these things are remembered no one will marvel at the ease with which Alexander held the Empire of Asia, or at the difficulties which others have had to keep an acquisition, such as Pyrrhus and many more; this is not occasioned by the little or abundance of ability in the conqueror, but by the want of uniformity in the subject state. |
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